PHILADELPHIA -- With the first full month of the season in the books, the Phillies know they have some work to do.
They finished April on a four-game winning streak with Wednesday night’s 7-2 victory over the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park, but the Phils (17-13) still sit 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets (21-10).
The starting staff has been the highlight to this point, leading the Majors with 194 strikeouts. That unit should only get stronger with Ranger Suárez returning on Sunday and a fully healthy Cristopher Sánchez, who tossed five innings of two-run ball in his return from forearm soreness.
As for the areas of concern heading into May, let’s take a closer look at what the Phillies need to clean up and how they can do it.
BULLPEN
The stat: 5.03 bullpen ERA (27th in MLB)
The fix: Before even digging into this, it’s worth noting that last year’s team had a 5.32 bullpen ERA through April. But in May, that same group put up a 2.20 ERA – the second-best mark in the Majors. Of course, that’s no indication anything similar will happen again this year, it’s just to point out how quickly things can change for relievers, especially when evaluating a one-month sample size.
The Phillies need a few guys to step up, but none more important than Orion Kerkering. Expected to be one of the go-to righties in the 'pen, Kerkering has a 5.56 ERA in 13 outings. He's allowed multiple runs in three of his past five outings after allowing just one run in his first eight.
“Just execution,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The slug is up on all his pitches right now. The stuff is there, it’s just execution.”
SLUGGING
The stat: 27 home runs (T-19th in MLB)
The fix: Wednesday was a good sign, as Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Max Kepler each went deep. However, that was the Phillies’ only three-homer game in the month of April after having two three-homer games in four March contests.
This is largely the same group that hit the fifth-most home runs from 2022-24. Only the Braves, Yankees, Dodgers and Astros hit more during that span. By the end of April last season, the Phillies had 40 home runs -- second-most in MLB.
So, aside from Schwarber (team-leading nine home runs), where will the power come from?
Alec Bohm, while not a big home run hitter, has averaged 16 homers over the past three seasons -- and hit a career-high 20 in 2023. He has zero in 119 plate appearances this season. He has a 35-game homer drought dating to last season.
It’s not just Bohm.
Bryce Harper’s .423 slugging percentage is his second-lowest through April in his career (.422 in 2014) -- and 97 points below his career mark.
J.T. Realmuto has three 20-homer seasons and is averaging 19 in his five full seasons with the Phillies. He’s hit two this season. Trea Turner has four straight 20-homer seasons. He has one in 2025.
CENTER FIELD
The stat: 4 extra-base hits by center fielders (T-fewest in MLB)
The fix: Brandon Marsh could be back as soon as this weekend. Of course, he had the everyday center-field job to start the season and hit just .095 (4-for-42) with a .387 OPS before landing on the IL with a right hamstring strain. He had also accounted for -3 Defensive Runs Saved.
Johan Rojas, meanwhile, is an above-average defender in center field (despite a couple of recent misplays). He’s also hitting .304 this season after a second straight multihit night. He hit his first home run since July 13 on Tuesday night.
It could potentially go back to a platoon when Marsh returns, but one way or another, the Phillies need more production out of center.
“We’ll cover that when we get there,” Thomson said. “But Rojas is really playing well right now.”
DEFENSE
The stat: -15 Defensive Runs Saved, 28th in MLB
The fix: The offense has helped overcome some of the defensive issues over the past few seasons, but that hasn’t been the case so far this year. Only the Rockies (-20 DRS) and Athletics (-37) have accounted for fewer DRS.
Individually, only three Phillies players have positive DRS numbers: Harper, Kepler and Edmundo Sosa -- each with one DRS. The worst marks on the team are both on the left side of the infield: Turner (-5) and Bohm (-4). Even back-to-back Gold Glove finalist Bryson Stott has accounted for -2 DRS at second base.
Are the Phillies concerned about the number of extra outs they’re giving away?
“Yes. Absolutely,” Thomson said. “We’ve got to clean it up. We really do.”